Jack Frost Nipping at Your Nose
by texashoser
Summary: A Christmas trip to Ohio goes awry.
1. Default Chapter

"Yes, mother," Egon said into the phone. "Yes, mother." He sighed and leaned against the back of his desk chair. "Yes, mother." He turned around when there was a knock at the open door of his lab. A familiar red-headed woman stood in the doorway. The scientist waved her in. "Yes, mother. I understand. However, we did decide driving would be the better option."  
  
"The stupid option," Janine muttered as she walked up to the man. The Ghostbuster gave her a look.  
  
"Yes, mother. I will see you and Uncle Cyrus soon," Dr. Spengler replied. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Dani is very excited. And I'm sure whatever you give her for Christmas she'll adore, mother." Janine stifled a laugh as the blonde made a few more noises of agreement after putting his glasses back on. "Mother, as much as I'd hate to end this conversation I really must be going. Janine is signaling me."  
  
"Egon, we have work," the secretary said a bit loudly. The physicist gave her an okay sign.  
  
"Yes, mother, we are still dating," Dr. Spengler sighed. "She's unable to come because she already made plans with her family." Egon glanced at Janine who smiled. "Mother, I really must get going now. Good-bye." He quickly hung up the phone.  
  
"Is your mother alright?" Janine inquired.  
  
"She is driving herself crazy over the prospect of having Dani come for a visit," Egon answered. "I don't know what to do."  
  
"Just take it easy on her," the secretary replied. "Your mother is meeting her niece again for the first time in a very long time. She's allowed to go a bit hair-brained."  
  
"I suppose so," Dr. Spengler responded. He sighed. "Perhaps driving was a bad idea."  
  
"Well, it's too late to buy plane tickets," Janine told him. "Maybe you should take one of the guys with you."  
  
"They all have plans," Egon said. "Raymond wished to come, but his Aunt Lois asked him to come with her to Sam's and Dani told him to go. Practically ordered to be more accurate. Winston is going to be spending Christmas with his family as well. And Peter, well, I'm not exactly sure, but he didn't seem like he was free."  
  
"Dr. V., doesn't have any plans," Janine informed him. "Peter was going to spend time with his father, but Mr. Venkman had something suddenly come up. Peter's just hasn't told you guys because he doesn't want to impose on anyone."  
  
"How do you know this?" Egon inquired.  
  
"I accidentally picked up the phone," Janine said. Her boyfriend gave her a doubtful look. "The line was blinking and I wanted to make sure I hadn't put someone on hold and forgot about them. I ended up listening to the conversation. I honestly didn't mean to, but I couldn't help it. Peter's going to spend Christmas here alone just because his dad is skipping out on him again."  
  
"Perhaps I will ask him. You are quite positive about this, Janine?"  
  
"I wouldn't be telling you this if I wasn't, Egon."  
  
"You did a very good thing, Janine." Dr. Spengler kissed the red-head on the lips.  
  
"Hey, save that for under the mistletoe." The couple broke apart to find Dr. Venkman standing in the doorway. He pointed above his head where the sprig hung. "I didn't put these in every doorway just for you two to ruin my fun. At least Dani and Ray understand the use for them." Peter made a bit of a face. "Of course, they abuse the privilege and stand in the doorway not allowing anyone to get by."  
  
"Jealous, Peter?" Janine inquired.  
  
"Yes and no," Peter answered. "Ray's like my little brother and I'm happy that he has a girlfriend. On the other hand one of my best friend's has the girl I wanted. This is the second time a woman has passed over me and went straight to Ray."  
  
"Peter, would you be interested in going to Cleveland with Dani and myself?" Dr. Spengler asked to steer the conversation in another direction. He didn't mind his young friend dating his cousin, but he'd rather not think about it longer than necessary. Egon realized they were two consenting adults. However, the thought of them doing anything either than talking, playing a board game, working, or whatever else people did on a normal basis was more than the physicist wished to think about.  
  
"I don't know, Spengs," Dr. Venkman said. "I've got plans with my dad and stuff. Besides I don't think you want me intruding upon a family reunion. I'm not exactly a favorite of your uncle's."  
  
"My mother does adore you for some reason," Egon responded. "And you would not be intruding. I'm asking. I actually insist that you come."  
  
"You're insisting?" Peter repeated. "What did I do to deserve insisting?"  
  
"I just believe it is important to share the holidays with family and I consider you family," Egon told him. "I would suppose Dani feels the same about you."  
  
"Well, I suppose it would be alright," Peter said. "My dad called recently to see if he could meet me on New Year's because he's stuck in Sweden and won't be back in the states for Christmas."  
  
"What is your father doing in Sweden?" Egon asked. Peter shrugged.  
  
"He didn't tell me," Dr. Venkman replied. "Probably the usual thing. You know my dad."  
  
"Of course," Dr. Spengler said.  
  
"I guess I ought to go see if I can slip some of my dirty clothes into Dani's load. She hates it, but for some reason decides to be really nice and fold everything. I should probably be careful because one of these days she might starch my underwear or put itching powder in my boxers." Peter looked at Egon. "Like someone did back in college."  
  
"You took my notes and tossed them into the bonfire."  
  
"Only because school was over."  
  
"They were for summer classes."  
  
"Who takes summer classes for fun?"  
  
"I was working on my ancient languages degree. It was simpler to focus on it alone during the summer."  
  
"Yeah, just so you can constantly remind us why you have an IQ that's almost off the scales."  
  
"My IQ has nothing to do with this."  
  
"You're right," Peter agreed. "Let's arm-wrestle."  
  
"Arm-wrestle? Peter, that's a bit primitive"  
  
"You're just scared I'll beat you. And in front of your girlfriend."  
  
"Egon doesn't need to prove to me that he can beat you at arm-wrestling," Janine said. Egon smiled at the comment. "However, it would be interesting to see who would win." Dr. Spengler's smile became a frown.  
  
"We could even make it interesting," Dr. Venkman added. "I win and you can't do anything in the lab for a week unless it's absolutely necessary. Like the end of the world. And if you win you can run all those tests to figure out why ghosts are constantly sliming me even when I don't provoke them." Egon considered the offer a moment.  
  
"Very well," Egon said. Peter looked around the lab.  
  
"Alright let's find an even and fair flat surface," Peter said. He pointed a table off to the side. "Let's grab that." The two men pulled it away from the wall, grabbed two chairs and sat down across from each other. They both put their hands and locked them in a tight grip.  
  
"Start on the count of three," Janine said. "One, two, three." The Ghostbusters started to push against the other. Peter's face was contorted as he pushed against his friend's hand while Egon maintained his normal composure as he pushed the other way. Janine looked back and forth between them. She had always wondered how strong her thin and wiry boyfriend actually was. He never worked out like Dr. Venkman did, but lugging a fifty pound nuclear accelerator on one's back and chasing ghosts down the streets of New York must do something for the physique. The secretary had also seen Egon eat quite a few Twinkies, but never gain any weight. This would actually prove quite fascinating.  
  
"Come on, Spengs," Dr. Venkman labored. Egon's arm started going down. "Is that all you got?"  
  
"I believe I'm doing quite well," Egon replied with a slight strain evident in his voice. He pushed back and they ended up back in the middle. The phone rang and Janine ignored it as she intently watched the two men. It rang a second time than stopped. The secretary hoped someone picked it up. Egon and Peter continued to both waver a bit from side to side. The alarm in the firehouse rang startling both and Egon managed to push Peter's hand down. Peter broke away from Dr. Spengler's grasp. Egon smiled. "I win."  
  
"No," Peter protested. "That wasn't fair. The alarm rang. It was a draw."  
  
"You could have just as easily pinned me," Dr. Spengler responded. "I win."  
  
"No," Dr. Venkman repeated. He looked at Janine. "It's a draw, right?"  
  
"Egon won," Janine said. She patted the scientist on the shoulder than followed Egon as he walked out of the lab.  
  
"It was a draw," Peter grumbled as he followed them. 


	2. Leaving New York

Various bags were strewn over the first floor of the firehouse. Some were sitting on the floor while others were right next to Ecto-1.  
  
"Raymond, help me go over the list again," Egon said loudly as he came down the stairs with a clipboard in hand. "I want to make sure nothing can happen while we're gone."  
  
"Egon, nothing will," Ray replied as he followed his friend a few steps behind. "The containment unit is connected to like five back-up generators and we've even set up a protection grid in the basement just in case. No one can do anything."  
  
"What about the proton packs?"  
  
"You're taking them in Ecto, remember?" Ray responded. "There's only the one left here and it's charging in your lab."  
  
"Did we turn off everything that does not need to be on?"  
  
"Did that right before bed last night," Dr. Stantz told him. The reached the bottom floor. "I don't know why you're so worried. The firehouse will survive one day without anyone here. Winston will be back the day after Christmas than Janine and I get back Saturday. You, Peter, and Dani are the ones who won't be back until Sunday."  
  
"I'm being cautious," Dr. Spengler stated. "Quite a bit can happen over the course of a day."  
  
"You're right," Ray yawned. "I guess we ought to get going."  
  
"Did you wake Peter?" Egon inquired.  
  
"I thought you were doing that."  
  
"I know better than to wake Peter at five in the morning."  
  
"Maybe Winston did it."  
  
"Did what?" Zeddemore inquired as he joined them on the first floor. "Is Janine here yet?"  
  
"No," Egon answered. "You didn't wake Peter?"  
  
"I thought you were," Winston replied. "I've already washed slime out of my shoes more times than I want to count this month."  
  
"We could get Dani to do it," Ray suggested. "Of course, she did warn me that if I were to wake her a minute before her alarm went off she would hide my limited edition Captain Steel action figure and never tell me where she put it."  
  
"She said the same about my microscope," Egon added.  
  
"And my books," Winston put in. They looked at each and came up with the same solution.  
  
"Slimer!" The three men shouted. The green ghost floated down through the ceiling sleepily.  
  
"Slimer sleepy," he told them. "Five more minutes."  
  
"He sounds like Pete," Zeddemore commented.  
  
"Slimer, we have an important mission for you," Ray said. "Before we can leave we need to wake up Dani and Peter. Your mission should you choose to accept it is to wake them and find the food they're hiding." The ghost perked up.  
  
"Food!"  
  
"Yes, Slimer. We believe they're hiding it in their pillows," Dr. Spengler put in. "You alone are the only one who can find it."  
  
"Oh, boy," the specter said. "Find food." He zipped towards Dani bedroom.  
  
"You guys do know they're both going to kill us, right?" Winston asked.  
  
"Yes," Ray and Egon answered.  
  
"Oh, my God!" Dani yelled. She ran out of her room and straight toward Ray. She lunged at him and he started running around the car. "I'm going to kill you, Ray Stantz. I just washed my hair and those sheets were new."  
  
"Dani," Ray started. "You can't kill me."  
  
"You're right," she agreed. "I'll just maim you a little." The young woman ran around the car after Dr. Stantz.  
  
"Help!" Ray shouted. Egon grabbed his cousin as she reached the front of the car. She struggled to get out of his grasp. Ray stayed in the far corner of the firehouse.  
  
"Egon, let me go," Dani said. "I have to hurt him."  
  
"Dani, it's early," Dr. Spengler told her. "And Christmas is tomorrow. Let's not ruin this holiday." The blonde sighed and leaned against Egon.  
  
"Fine," she muttered. "I'll go take another shower, but I am sleeping in the car. You are not to wake me until we get to Aunt Katie's."  
  
"You have my word," Egon said. He let her go and she walked back to her bedroom.  
  
"AHHH!" Peter yelled from somewhere upstairs. Ray rejoined Winston and Egon as they started to laugh at their friend's plight.  
  
"Maybe now he'll understand the meaning of alarm clock," Winston said. Peter sprinted down the stairs rubbing a towel in his hair.  
  
"I really hate that spud," Dr. Venkman growled. He looked at his friends. "Are we leaving now?"  
  
"Still waiting for Janine," Zeddemore told him. "I have to take her to New Jersey." The group all felt a sharp wind pierce through their wooly sweaters. Egon turned around to see a bundled person coming through the firehouse front door than trying to close the door against the blistering wind. He went over and helped close it.  
  
"The weather is so bad out there." The person removed the scarf like item covering their head and Dr. Spengler saw that it was Janine. "I can't believe anyone is even driving in this weather. I'm glad that Winston put snow tires on his car. I should have done that, but my car is stuck in the snow outside my building."  
  
"How did you get here?" Egon inquired as he brushed snow off the woman.  
  
"You don't want to know," Janine replied. Egon gave her a look as she walked to her other friends.  
  
"You look warm," Winston commented. "How many coats are you wearing?"  
  
"Just enough," the woman answered. "When are we leaving?"  
  
"Just gotta say good-bye to everyone," Winston told her. "I feel kinda weird not spending Christmas here with the guys."  
  
"Me too," Ray agreed. "I mean it's great I get to spend time with Sam and my Aunt Lois, but I like Christmas here."  
  
"Next year," Egon said. "Our families do deserve to see us every once in a while."  
  
"Yeah, I owe my parents," Janine agreed. "I've missed a few birthdays and anniversaries working here."  
  
"If only we could schedule the end of the world at more appropriate times," Peter mused. "Like when we aren't sleeping or out on a hot date." Ray chuckled. "Hey, Tex, not everyone can have their girlfriend living under the same roof." Dr. Venkman glanced at Egon. "Or working in the same place."  
  
"Alright, I'm ready," Dani said as she rejoined the group. She put on a knee length suede jacket over her light blue wool turtleneck. "I'm sorry I threatened to kill you, Ray."  
  
"It's okay," he told her. "I forgive you." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm going to miss you."  
  
"I'm going to miss you more," she responded. "It'll be three long days."  
  
"I'll call you," Ray said.  
  
"Not if I call you first." They continued to embrace.  
  
"Okay, we get the point," Peter said. He pushed the two apart. "You'll miss her and she'll miss you. We're going to be back Sunday."  
  
"Oh, Egon," Janine said. She embraced her boyfriend. "I won't see you again until Sunday."  
  
"It'll be alright," Dr. Spengler soothed her. They broke apart than everyone started hugging and wishing each other well on their journeys and to have a good Christmas.  
  
The group started putting bags in the respective cars. Peter, Egon, Dani, Ray and Slimer got into Ecto-1. Aunt Lois would join the group than she, Ray and Slimer were going to be dropped off in Islip before Egon, Dani and Peter headed on to Ohio. Winston and Janine got into Winston's car. The black man would drop the secretary off at her aunt's house in New Jersey where his cousin also lived and his family was planning to spend Christmas. The two groups started on their separate ways into the blizzard-like early morning in New York City. 


	3. On the Road

"You're lost, aren't you?" Peter asked his friend. "Do you want me to drive?"  
  
"I know where I'm going, Peter," Egon responded. "I've driven along this road plenty of times. I often made this trip while I was still in college."  
  
"Yeah, but did you ever do it in the middle of winter while there seemed to be a storm outside and you could barely see the road in front of you?" Peter replied.  
  
"No," Dr. Spengler answered. "However, I'm positive I can do this."  
  
"Well, be careful," Dr. Venkman told him. "Snowy roads are just as bad as icy roads. I've seen some really good drivers lose control of their car because they go just a little to fast. I'd rather not end up in a snow bank in the middle of nowhere."  
  
"We will not end up a snow bank."  
  
"As long as you're careful."  
  
"I'm always careful."  
  
"Always, Egon? You say that same thing about your experiments. And how many times has the lab exploded?"  
  
"I work with unstable elements on occasion. Not many people in the scientific community have the opportunity to work with ectoplasm so what elements are incompatible is not exactly common knowledge."  
  
"Than maybe you should find another way or another place to do it," Peter suggested. "I'm getting tired of shelling out money to buy you new equipment and windows."  
  
"Hey," Dani interjected from the backseat. "Play nice." The two men were quiet and the sound of the young woman's singing could be heard. "Someday, somehow. I'm gonna make it all right but not right now. I know you're wondering when."  
  
"I believe when we get home I get to run a few tests that won't prove so volatile," Egon said. Peter looked at his friend. "I won, Peter."  
  
"It was a draw. The alarm rang."  
  
"You just do not wish to admit defeat."  
  
"There was no defeat. It was a draw. There was a distraction."  
  
"Peter, if all games of contest were done like that than there would be no crowds cheering at games. I'm sure you remember all the cheering from your games. Did they ever distract you? No, because you learned to tune them out."  
  
"But there wasn't a damn alarm like ours," Dr. Venkman countered. "Besides we couldn't ignore it. There was a job."  
  
"I won."  
  
"No you didn't. We'll start over and do two out of three."  
  
"I no longer wish to discuss this."  
  
"Fine. I still say you're lost and that was a draw."  
  
"Why must you be so juvenile about this, Peter?"  
  
"I'm no juvenile. You're just a big smarty pants."  
  
"Mighty strong words," Egon retorted with a chuckle. "Should I get out the plastic swords and challenge you to a duel?"  
  
"Shut up, Spengs." Peter felt someone hit him in the head and he turned around in his seat. Dani smiled at him. "What did you do that for?"  
  
"Reflex," Dani answered. "Besides you're just annoying Egon. He needs to focus on the road. If you distract him than we will get in an accident."  
  
"When you say that does that mean you know something?" Dr. Venkman asked.  
  
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't," Dani answered. "I did have a vision. I don't necessarily know if it was us, but I saw Ray wandering through the snow and he didn't look like he was about to build a snowman."  
  
"Are we going to have accident?" Peter inquired.  
  
"I'm not sure. I just ask you to stop bugging Egon and let him drive. I don't think we're lost because I printed a copy of the map from Mapquest and everything seems alright. He might end up taking a scenic route, but as long as you stop annoying him than nothing will happen."  
  
"Thank you," Dr. Spengler said from the driver's seat. Peter stuck his tongue out at the young woman and she rolled her eyes. The psychologist turned back around in his seat and watched as figure suddenly appeared on the road.  
  
"Egon, stop!" Peter shouted. The physicist slammed on the brakes and the car did a fishtail than started to turn around in a circle before hitting a five foot high pile of snow near the side of the road. The three inside the vehicle were all very quiet for a moment.  
  
"Is everyone alright?" Egon inquired. He adjusted the glasses on his nose that had fallen down during the swerving. The Ghostbuster gently touched his head where he had hit the window and winced slightly. "That will definitely be an ugly bruise later."  
  
"Egon, I didn't sign up for a roller coaster ride," Peter moaned. Egon looked over at his friend who leaning forward with his head between his knees. Peter sat up. "I nearly lost that wonderful breakfast we had at McDonald's."  
  
"Sorry, Peter."  
  
"My cell phone didn't survive," Dani said as she leaned over the front seat and held out her cell phone with wires hanging out of the side. "And that was also something I didn't have a vision about."  
  
"Did you even see the person?" Dr. Venkman asked his friend.  
  
"I wasn't sure if it was a person," Egon responded. "I thought for a moment it was an ectoplasmic entity. I slammed on the brakes just when you shouted."  
  
"Let's see if we can find him, her or it," Peter said. He looked at Dani. "Stay here."  
  
"Not a problem. Thirty degree below weather is not my cup of tea." The two men grabbed their large coats and got out of the car. Egon inspected the front bumper of the car that was wedged into the snow.  
  
"We'll need someone to pull us out," Egon told Dr. Venkman over the howling wind. "I highly doubt I'll be able to reverse the car on ice."  
  
"Either way Ray and Winston aren't going to be happy," Peter replied. "Come on, Spengs. We better start searching. I've freezing." Dr. Venkman looked around. "Hello! Anyone out there!?!" Egon started walking down the road and Peter grabbed him. "Not alone, buddy. People can get lost in the snow easily."  
  
"Sorry, Peter," Dr. Spengler responded. "Hello!" The two men walked down the road almost right on top of each so as not to lose the other. The psychologist could make out a dark figure coming towards them. He couldn't tell if it was a person or something else.  
  
"Hello!" The Ghostbuster shouted. "Why are wondering in the snow?"  
  
"Are you the Ghostbusters?" The figure asked as it came closer.  
  
"Yes," Egon answered. "Why are wondering in the middle of the road?"  
  
"I was looking for help," the figure answered. "I was lucky to run into you two."  
  
"We aren't exactly on the job," Peter told the person. "We're kinda on our way to Ohio."  
  
"Please, Ghostbusters, help my town."  
  
"Get in the car," Egon said. The figure headed back towards Ecto-1. Peter grabbed Egon by the arm.  
  
"What are you doing, Spengs?"  
  
"We can't turn someone away," Dr. Spengler answered. "We'll help and be on our way."  
  
"Yeah, but how are we getting the car out of the snow?"  
  
"You get to push." 


	4. A Slight Detour

"Thank you," Peter chattered as a mug of coffee was place before him. He picked up the mug and relished the warmth it gave off. At least his hands were no longer frozen. The psychologist had to dig out the front bumper of the car with his hands than push Ecto-1 as Egon put the car in reverse. The car suddenly shot out of the snow and Dr. Venkman had hit the frozen ground. After letting the wind carry away a few choice words he got in the car and the mysterious figure gave them directions to small town on a back road they never would have guessed existed.  
  
The figure turned out to be a young woman about Dani's age who offered to go find help of the local police. She could only walk because the town's cars had broken down and nobody wanted to lend a horse. The young woman's name was Sarah and she owned a small coffee shop where Peter, Egon and Dani were now drinking either coffee or hot chocolate. She had brought in a few people to help explain what was happening.  
  
"The ghost has been making this season horrible for all of us," Sarah explained. "Hardly anyone can decorate their homes, wrap presents, or even say Christmas without something happen." The door to the shop slammed open and snow came blowing in. Two men sitting at the counter got up and went to close the door. "It's like the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge or something."  
  
"Ebenezer Scrooge actually believed in Christmas after the three ghosts came to visit him," Egon informed her. "Perhaps though this ghost works along those lines."  
  
"Who is it?" Peter asked. "Scrooge's cousin?"  
  
"Scrooge had no family, Peter," Dr. Spengler replied. "Aside from a nephew who had his own family."  
  
"Do you think you could get rid of it?" A man wearing a ski hat inquired. "Our families would like to enjoy tomorrow without getting thrown out a window or tossed into the woods."  
  
"Has that happened?" Dr. Venkman inquired.  
  
"Phil's exaggerating," Sarah told him. "He got lost chasing after it." The man grumbled something that his friend hit him for.  
  
"I believe we can do something," Egon said. He looked at his cousin who sat next to him in the booth. "We will need your help, Dani." She took another drink of her hot chocolate than sighed.  
  
"Fine," she muttered. "I thought we wouldn't have to deal with ghosts, but I guess you guys just attract them."  
  
"Something I plan to test," Egon commented with a glance at Dr. Venkman who averted his eyes.  
  
"So, what do you want me to do?" Dani asked.  
  
Dani Spengler sat next to a Christmas tree in one of the town's resident's homes wearing candy cane pajamas that Sarah had leant her. The young woman had a present in her lap and was eating a Gingerbread cookie. She felt a bit ridiculous, but told Egon take a few pictures so she could give them to Ray.  
  
"Jingle bells, jingle bells," the young woman sang. "Jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to ride in one horse open sleigh." A nearby window burst open and the snow began to drift in. "I love Christmas. It's the bestest holiday ever."  
  
"Christmas is horrible," a voice growled.  
  
"No, it's fun," Dani replied. She looked around and didn't see anything, but could definitely feel something in the room. "You get all sorts of presents and yummy treats."  
  
"The happiness makes me sick," the voice responded. "I hate the niceness."  
  
"What crawled up your butt and died?" Dani shot at the voice. "Christmas is something everyone really enjoys and it's the one time of the year people are actually nice to complete strangers. It's great."  
  
"It's sickening." The young woman watched as black blob formed a few feet in front of her. "I can't take it."  
  
"Than go somewhere else. No one asked you to stay."  
  
"I live here," the blob answered.  
  
"Not anymore, bud!" Peter shouted as he and Egon came through a door from another room in the house. "Find a new area code." He and Dr. Spengler fired at the blob. Dani jumped away from the tree and grabbed a trap next to the wall. She tossed it under the pinned blob and opened the trap. The specter screamed as it was sucked in. The trap closed and the guys turned off their proton packs.  
  
"Is it gone?" The three in room looked toward the front door where Sarah had poked her head in.  
  
"Yeah," Dani answered. "Your town can celebrate Christmas once again."  
  
"I wish I could have done some research," Dr. Spengler said. "I'm sure I could have found something fascinating about either the history of this town or what we caught."  
  
"Spengs, not now," Peter told him. "We need to get back on the road. You're mother is going to worry about us if we don't get there tonight."  
  
"You're going to have to be careful," Phil warned them as he came into the house. "It's snowing pretty badly out there."  
  
"Thanks for the warning," Peter replied. "And have a Merry Christmas." 


	5. Cause for Alarm

"Are we there yet?" Dani asked from the backseat.  
  
"No," Peter answered. "We lost about two hours stopping in that town." He glanced over at Egon who was sleeping. "At least he's enjoying this."  
  
"It's easy to have a good time when you sleep," Dani replied. "How much longer do you think it'll be until we get there?"  
  
"A few hours," Dr. Venkman responded.  
  
"Can you even see the road?"  
  
"Yes." The car was quiet for a short time.  
  
"Were you the one that got into the wreck you were telling Egon about?"  
  
"Yeah. How did you know?"  
  
"Just a good guess. How did it happen?"  
  
"I was about twenty and I was heading to Chicago to visit my dad for Christmas because he said he'd be there over the holiday. I was driving a bit to fast and suddenly this deer comes out of nowhere. I slam on the brakes and hit another car. They didn't get hurt, but there car was kinda messed up. I ended up in the hospital with a broken arm and my car was totaled. I had one of the worst Christmas's of my life."  
  
"How come you aren't spending Christmas with your dad this year? I thought the two of you made plans. You didn't have to come with me and Egon."  
  
"My dad's busy," Peter told her. "And Egon asked me to come along."  
  
"What's up with you and your dad?" Dani inquired. "Whenever someone brings him up you turn into like a hermit crab and don't talk again until you think we've forgotten."  
  
"You don't forget though, do you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Well, I'm going to be honest with you, Dani. I don't really like to talk about him. He's a great guy and all, but he's done some pretty stupid things. Charlie Venkman isn't the world's greatest father despite the mug I bought him for Father's Day says. He never showed up that day and I ended up breaking that mug. My dad's a con artist and I almost took the same route, but I managed to get into college than I ran into Egon and Ray. They showed me there can actually be reliable people in this world. Spengs and Ray try to be nice whenever my dad comes, but they understand what he's about. Ray almost died because my dad took him to Mexico to find some treasure. I haven't heard from him a lot since than. He comes by sometimes, but this was the first time in a long time we were gonna spend a holiday together. He just skipped out on me because of some new scam he thinks he can make a few dollars on."  
  
"I'm sorry, Peter."  
  
"It's not your fault, Dani. You didn't make him that way. He just felt that was the easiest way to make a few dollars and left my mom to go do that."  
  
"What about your mom?"  
  
"She's dead. Died a few years ago. My dad didn't even come back for the funeral."  
  
"Wow," Dani said. "I'm really sorry."  
  
"Thanks, but you have to promise that you won't tell Egon or Ray anything I said. They'll try to sit me down and talk to me about my dad. I'd rather not."  
  
"Yeah, but they're your friends. They care about you, Pete."  
  
"If you haven't noticed Ray gets really bad about Christmas. He tries to make it really special because the majority of mine sucked. I'd just like it if he did everything normal. That's why I'm coming along on this trip. I won't have anyone fussing over me, but I get to watch Mrs. Spengler worry all over you and Spengs. She's a great lady."  
  
"I hear that." The car was quiet for a moment and the two awake passengers listened to Egon snore lightly on his side of the car.  
  
"It's my turn to ask a question," Peter said. "Did you ever have a Christmas?"  
  
"When I was little," Dani answered. "I kinda remember Christmas when I was four years old. My dad went out a got a tree that was kinda small, but really pretty. My parents and I decorated the tree with all sorts of cute ornaments and colorful lights. Than my mother helped me make an angel out of construction paper to put on top. My dad lifted me up and I placed the angel on top. It was kinda goofy looking, but nobody really cared. Christmas morning came and we went to church, opened presents and ate a big dinner, but the one thing I remember the most is that angel. My mom told me she was going to keep it forever and put it on the tree every year. After that I never saw it again. Newton got rid of the majority of the stuff from my parents' house. I was going to keep the angel, but I never found it. I looked everywhere I possibly could than I gave up. Newton probably did throw it out like he did a good chunk of my life."  
  
"This year you'll have a better Christmas," Peter told her. "I promise."  
  
"Yeah," Dani whispered. The silence in the car became uncomfortable as Dr. Venkman focused back on driving the snowy road in front of him and the young woman put her headphones on to listen to her music again.  
  
"Janine," Egon murmured. "Yes, Janine." Peter glanced at his friend who was moving around in his seat as he slept. "I do, Janine."  
  
"Do what, Egon?" Dr. Venkman whispered.  
  
"I do like to sing to Madonna," Dr. Spengler said. "Like a virgin. Touched for the very first time." Peter chuckled and let the car swerve a little, but grabbed the steering wheel tightly. And focused back on the road. As amusing Egon's singing was he had to pay attention to what little road he could see. "Like a virgin."  
  
"Peter?" Dani said from the back seat.  
  
"Yeah?" Peter replied.  
  
"Should a trap be making a noise like a car battery not starting?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Because that's what happening to the trap and I understand my vision."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We're going to have an accident, Peter," Dani panicked.  
  
"No, we aren't. Just toss the trap out the window. If the ghost gets out than it'll be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. It might go back to the town, but we'll go back and catch it again."  
  
"Okay." Peter heard the wind from outside come into the car and could feel the blasting cold. Egon shot up in his seat.  
  
"What the --?" Dr. Spengler started. He turned around and watched as his cousin tossed the trap out the window. "Dani, why did you do that?" She looked at him as she rolled the window back up.  
  
"We were going to have accident because the ghost got out since the trap was malfunctioning. Peter told me to throw out the window."  
  
"Peter, by throwing it out the window the ghost will most definitely get out," Egon said. "We need to go back and use another trap."  
  
"Spengs, we're going to be late to your mom's. She's going to start freaking out and call the gang wondering where we are. They're going to assume we're all dead just because we can't call to say we were trapping a ghost."  
  
"You mean neither of you brought your cell phones?" Dani said from the backseat.  
  
"I did, but it isn't charged," Dr. Venkman responded.  
  
"Well, just use the car charger," the young woman told him.  
  
"I took that out," Egon admitted. "Ray said he needed it." The blonde woman made an exasperated noise. "Sorry."  
  
"What about your phone, Egon?" Peter asked.  
  
"I left it at home," Dr. Spengler confessed. "I did not see the need for it."  
  
"And mine is broken from our first little accident," Dani said. "Okay, well, we can't stop to trap the ghost, Egon. We just have to carry on, Jeeves."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Peter responded with a bit of a British accent. He glanced at Egon who didn't look happy. "Look, Egon, we'll just stop back by the town on our way back and catch it again. It'll probably go into hiding after what we did."  
  
"Very well," Egon said. "We'll worry about it later."  
  
"Maybe next time we can charge them," Peter replied.  
  
"Peter!" The two Spenglers shouted.  
  
"I was just kidding. Trying to lighten the mood."  
  
"Speaking of lights, look up ahead," Dani pointed out. "What's the deal with that?"  
  
"Possibly a road block," Egon suggested. "Slow down the car, Peter."  
  
"I'm already going twenty miles per hour. Any slower and we might as well walk."  
  
"No, this is bad," the young woman pointed out. "The vision is becoming clearer. Guys, we need to go back. This isn't the right way."  
  
"Go back where?" Peter asked. "We couldn't make it back to that town if we wanted to. We're here. Wherever here is."  
  
"Than go somewhere else. Find another road. Up ahead is bad." Dr. Spengler pulled out a PKE meter from the glove box and turned it on. The antennae started to move and flash.  
  
"I concur," Egon stated. "It could possibly be the ghost we caught earlier or another entity entirely. I never did take readings."  
  
"Yeah, it was more like plan, wait than capture," Dr. Venkman responded. "Cleanest and shortest bust ever. We should have more of those." Peter glanced over Egon. "What do we do, Spengs?" His friend didn't answer. "Come on, Egon. Answer me."  
  
"I don't know," Egon answered. "We may be prepared to take on ghosts, but this weather will prevent us from doing anything."  
  
"That doesn't help me," Peter said. He looked at the road as the windshield wipers tried in vain to remove the snow off the windshield. The psychologist saw something fly by the car and recognized what it was. The ghost from the town. "Uh-oh."  
  
"Peter, stop the car," Dani told him. "Please stop."  
  
"Egon --" Peter never had the chance to finish his sentence. There was a sound like tire blowing out than Peter started to fight for control of Ecto as it started swerving down the icy road. The car started to spin and the passengers started to shout in panic. The last thing the psychologist remembered was hearing the PKE meter give a shrill noise before everything went black. 


	6. Stuck on the Side of the Road

"Come on. Come on," Ray muttered as he was on the phone. "Dani, pick up."  
  
"I'm sorry, but this number is not available at this time. Please try again later," the prerecorded message stated. Ray hung up the phone in annoyance.  
  
"She always charges that phone," Dr. Stantz said to himself. "Why should now be any different?"  
  
"Are you talking to yourself?" Ray turned around to find his cousin standing behind him.  
  
"I was trying to call Dani. I guess she let the batteries on her phone run out. I keep on getting that stupid message."  
  
"Try again in the morning," Sam suggested.  
  
"Yeah, but she and I said we'd call each other tonight," Ray said. "She's always pretty good about calling. I forget, but she never realizes that. Or she does and doesn't say anything. Dani lets me slide with a lot of stuff."  
  
"You really care for her, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, she's great, Sam. I never thought I would meet someone like her. I just wish I was spending Christmas with her. It's the first time in a really long time she's actually getting to enjoy the holiday."  
  
"I remember you mentioning something like that," Sam replied. "She didn't have a really good childhood."  
  
"That's just sums it up," Dr. Stantz responded. "Dani lived with a horrible guy for a long time. He almost killed her."  
  
"Who are you talking about, dear?" An older looking woman with slightly graying hair joined the two younger people.  
  
"Dani, Aunt Lois," Ray answered. "I can't get a hold of her."  
  
"I'm sure she's fine, Ray," Aunt Lois told him. "She's with your friends on the way to visit her own aunt. You shouldn't worry too much."  
  
"I do worry a lot," Dr. Stantz admitted. "I just care about Dani." His aunt patted him on the shoulder.  
  
"I know, dear. I saw how you were with her in the car. She's a very nice girl and the both of you are very lucky to have found each other. I'm sure nothing's wrong." Ray wanted to agree with his aunt. "Now, come back with me to the living room and we'll each open a present before we go to bed."  
  
"Okay," Ray said. The older woman and his cousin walked back to the living room. The Ghostbuster looked at the phone one last time and silently hoped his girlfriend and friends were sitting in front of their own fire opening a Christmas Eve present. He turned away and went to join his relatives.  
  
*****  
  
Presents were the farthest thing from Egon's mind as he slowly regained consciousness. He could feel the cold wind blowing against his head and carefully opened his eyes. He did a mental check of where he felt any pain and his head was the only place. The scientist looked around. The car was smashed in several places and quite a few of the windows were broken, but miraculously there was only a crack in the windshield though the front part of the vehicle was covered in snow. He than focused on his friend who sat at the wheel. Peter's head was positioned against the steering wheel and Dr. Spengler could only guess what injuries the pushed in driver's side door caused. He looked behind the seat where his cousin was sprawled out over the seat. She was bleeding from a head wound and one of the proton packs laid on top of her. Egon didn't question how it came to be there because a lot of their items were all over the car. He only hoped it hadn't caused any injuries. Egon turned back around and undid his seatbelt when he heard a soft moan come from the front seat. Peter was raising his head.  
  
"Peter, are you alright?" Dr. Spengler inquired.  
  
"If having a headache that reminds you of the guy in an orchestra hitting that big drum than I'm great," Peter replied. He leaned back than grabbed his left leg. "Oh, damn it."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"My leg," Dr. Venkman answered. "It hurts really bad." He looked at the door and how his leg was positioned. "The door caught my leg, Spengs. It's stuck and possibly broken."  
  
"Possibly?" Egon replied.  
  
"I can't exactly move it to find out. I just know it hurts. Like my head." He looked at his friend. "I hope Dani's happy. We stopped."  
  
"I don't think this is what she had in mind," Dr. Spengler responded. "Of course, you may ask her when she regains consciousness."  
  
"Is she alright?" Dr. Venkman tried to turn around in his seat, but wasn't having any luck.  
  
"I can't tell. She does have an evident head wound, but some other injuries are not as easy to diagnose."  
  
"Like internal bleeding?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, I don't think anything else is broken or injured on me," Peter told him. "Just my leg and my head. Your head doesn't look to good either." Dr. Spengler gently touched the right side of his head and felt the sticky blood. He pulled away his hand quickly.  
  
"Fortunately, it seems to be my only injury."  
  
"Stop the car. Stop the car." Egon turned around in his seat to see his cousin shaking her head. "Stop the car!" She shot up and yelped in pain as the proton pack slid off her on to the floorboard. Dani grabbed her chest and lay back down.  
  
"Dani, how do you feel?" Dr. Spengler inquired.  
  
"Horrible," Dani mumbled. "My chest hurts."  
  
"You might have fractured or broken a rib during the accident," Egon said.  
  
"Thank you, doctor," she retorted. "What do you plan to do for your next act?" She shivered as the wind blew in snow through the broken windows. "Damn, it's cold."  
  
"At least it isn't snowing as hard," Peter replied. "Of course, I can't tell. My field of vision is kinda limited being stuck." Egon looked out the back window where he could see the sun rising through the slowly falling snow. How many hours had passed since the accident? He looked at his watch and saw that it was a few minutes past seven in the morning. The scientist hadn't thought that much time had passed. Although he also wasn't sure when they had crashed.  
  
"What are you staring at?" Dani asked.  
  
"Nothing," Dr. Spengler answered shaking himself out of the stupor. "Dani, did you bring a blanket of any kind?"  
  
"Yeah, in my bag. It's supposed to be a Christmas gift for Aunt Katie."  
  
"She'll understand," Egon told her. He started to climb over the front seat and stepped on the part of the back seat Dani wasn't occupying. She gave him a goofy grin as he continued to climb over into the cargo area of Ecto- 1. The scientist shook his head and went into the back. He found his cousin's red luggage bag under another proton pack and dug through it. Egon found a beautifully quilted blanket and thought of his mother. She would like this. Dani had chosen well. He sighed than climbed back over.  
  
"Hey, Spengs, what's the plan on getting out of here?" Peter asked as Dr. Spengler placed the blanket on his cousin. Egon got back into the front seat. "I don't think the car's going anywhere any time soon."  
  
"I suppose I'll have to go find help," Dr. Spengler said.  
  
"No, Egon," Dani objected. "You can't go out there. We don't even know where we are. You could get lost or something. Than we'd all die remembering the last thing you said to us was good-bye and I'll be back with help."  
  
"Nobody's going to die, Dani," Peter told her. "Egon's our only chance of getting out of here. I don't want him to go either, but if he doesn't than we're screwed."  
  
"I don't want him to go," Dani repeated.  
  
Dr. Spengler looked at Dr. Venkman and they exchanged knowing looks. There wasn't another choice. This was the only way. Peter would be left with Dani and the two would have to make sure neither succumbed to further injury nor freezing. Egon would have to rely on himself to make it to the nearest home or town and get help for them before he surrendered to the cold.  
  
"Dani, I must go," Dr. Spengler told her. He looked at the young woman. "I'm sorry. I promise to return with help."  
  
"We're missing Christmas," she said.  
  
"We'll have our own Christmas," Egon responded. "It's just a day. We'll find our own day and celebrate. I know how much you were looking forward to this."  
  
"Yeah," Dani whispered. "You promise to come back?"  
  
"I give my word as a scientist and as your cousin," the Ghostbuster said quietly.  
  
"Okay." Egon turned back to Peter.  
  
"Be careful out there, Spengs," Peter told him. "Don't let some polar bear drag you off for Christmas dinner."  
  
"Polar bears are not indigenous to this are, Peter. I would have thought you knew that much." Dr. Venkman gave him a look. "I shall be careful."  
  
"Maybe you should take a proton pack with you," Peter suggested. "Attract attention by blasting a tree to make a fire or something." An object came flying over the backseat and hit Egon's in the shoulder landing in the front seat between Peter and Egon. The two Ghostbusters saw that it was Egon's PKE meter.  
  
"Your stupid PKE meter hit me," Dani said. "I get to thank you for the wonderful headache." Egon put the meter under his seat.  
  
"You better get going," Peter told him. "The longer we wait the better the chance we have of freezing." Dr. Spengler gave his friend a curt nod than started to climb over the seat. Peter grabbed his friend's arm and Egon looked back at him. "I don't even get a hug?"  
  
"Peter."  
  
"Come on, Spengs. It's Christmas. Tis the season to be mushy." Egon sighed and gave his friend a quick hug than continued over the seat. He crawled over the backseat than leaned back over and kissed his cousin on the forehead. She gave him a sad smile and he carried on to the back door. Egon hit the door with his shoulder and it opened letting in a new wave of snow. He grabbed a proton pack than closed the door forcefully.  
  
Outside was a winter wonderland. The physicist could barely see the road they had been traveling on. He looked back at the car and could only see the back end of Ecto. Egon glanced around for some kind of indication that said where they were or at least a landmark. He found a bent sign a few feet away from the crashed car.  
  
"Cleveland forty miles," Dr. Spengler read. He sighed. They weren't even that far from their point of destination. Egon shivered as the snow meltied and the icy water made its way down his back under the thick sweatshirt he was wearing. "Angonak five miles." Perhaps he could make it to Angonak. Five miles wasn't far. He and his fellow Ghostbusters ran that much in one day on difficult busts. Hopefully he could make it without freezing to death. With one last glance at Ecto-1 than started down the road. 


	7. Worried Family

"Winston, dear, do you know a Katherine Spengler?" The black man looked up from his breakfast and at his aunt.  
  
"That's Egon's mom, Aunt Hattie," Winston replied. "Why is she calling here?"  
  
"I'm not sure. She sounds a bit upset. You can use the phone in the kitchen." Zeddemore quickly got up from his seat and hurried into the kitchen. He picked up the phone laying on counter.  
  
"Hello?" Winston said. "Slow down, Mrs. Spengler."  
  
"They aren't here, Winston," the woman told him over the phone. "They haven't called or anything. Do you know where they are?"  
  
"No, ma'am," Winston answered. "I haven't seen them since yesterday morning. I thought they would have been there by now."  
  
"They aren't here," Mrs. Spengler repeated. "Nobody's called."  
  
"Have you talked to Ray or Janine?" The Ghostbuster inquired. "They may know more than I do."  
  
"I've called them. They haven't heard anything either. Raymond said he was unable to reach Dani last night when he called her cell phone."  
  
"Well, don't panic. They probably got lost and haven't been able to find a phone."  
  
"Winston, do you believe that?" Mrs. Spengler asked.  
  
"I'm just trying to consider all the options, Mrs. Spengler," Winston told her. "Don't worry though. I'm sure they'll show up. Give them a few more hours. I bet Peter's driven them to some little town because they have the best pancakes or something. Don't worry. If I find something out I'll call you."  
  
"Thank you, Winston," Mrs. Spengler said. "Tell your family Merry Christmas for me."  
  
"I will. Merry Christmas, Mrs. Spengler. Bye." Winston hung up the phone and furrowed his brow. Peter, Egon, and Dani should have been at Mrs. Spengler's already. The trip was normally a seven to eight hour drive and during a snow storm it would take a few hours longer. They had only taken a hour detour by dropping Ray and his aunt off at Sam's. Where were they? If Mrs. Spengler had called Ray and Janine than those two could possibly be calling at any minute seeing if Winston knew anything. Just as the man predicted the phone rang. "I got it!" Zeddemore picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Winston, did Mrs. Spengler call you?" It was Janine on the other end. She sounded a bit uneasy and she had every right to be. Three of the people she cared quite a bit about were somewhere in the snow between New York and Cleveland and hadn't talked to anyone since five the morning before.  
  
"Yeah, I just got off the phone with her," Winston answered. "I figured you might call."  
  
"What do you think happened?" Janine asked.  
  
"I don't know," the man responded. "It won't do any good if we panic though."  
  
"I'm not panicking," the secretary informed him. "I'm just being worried. We haven't heard from them and they aren't at Mrs. Spengler's."  
  
"I'm sure they're about to pull in," Winston replied. He heard a beeping noise on the phone. "Hold on, Janine. There's a call on the other line." The Ghostbuster pulled the phone away from his ear and pushed the transfer button than put it back up to his ear. "Hello?"  
  
"Winston, I tried calling her again and there's still no answer," Ray said quickly. "She said she would call last night and I called, but she didn't answer. I got that stupid message."  
  
"Hold up, man," Winston said. "Janine's on the other line."  
  
"She thinks something happened," Dr. Stantz told him.  
  
"Don't you mean you think something's happened?"  
  
"Maybe," Ray replied. "I'm just worried, Winston."  
  
"We don't know if anything's happened, man. It's pure speculation. Let's give them a few more hours."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I'll talk to you later, Ray. Janine's still on the other line."  
  
"Alright, bye." Winston switched back over.  
  
"Janine, you still there?"  
  
"Yeah," the red-head answered. "Did you talk to Ray?"  
  
"That was him. He's worried. I told him we'll wait a little longer before we do anything. I bet they just got a little turned around. Peter probably decided to take a scenic route and their trying to find their way back to the main road."  
  
"Sounds like Peter," Janine responded. "It's just weird they haven't called."  
  
"Yeah, that I have to agree with. Dani would be on the phone calling Ray and telling him she loves him so much and they'd end up spending about two hours on the phone. You know how they are."  
  
"Egon would call just to say he's fine and they'll be there shortly. He's really not much into long phone calls."  
  
"Doesn't mean he doesn't care."  
  
"I know." Winston heard the woman sigh. "I guess we ought to get off the phone. My family's getting kinda annoyed with me. The kids want to open their presents."  
  
"Alright, Janine. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Bye, Winston. Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Christmas, Janine. Bye." The two people hung up their phones and went back to join their families for Christmas hoping that their friends were alright. 


	8. Just Talking

Peter was getting uncomfortable sitting in the same position for so long. He looked closely at the door that kept his left leg pinned. The door seemed to wrap around it in a peculiar manner. Maybe there was someway to get it lose without doing anymore damage to himself or the car. He tried to turn his leg and felt the pain shoot up.  
  
"Damn it," Dr. Venkman muttered. He let go of his leg and sighed.  
  
"Peter, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Dani. I'm sitting up here with my leg stuck and freezing to death. What a great way to spend Christmas. Next year let's go somewhere tropical."  
  
"You're cold?"  
  
"I think I just said that. Did that PKE meter do more than just bump you on the head? Like jar your brain?"  
  
"Not anymore than usual," Dani answered. "Hold on a second." Peter could hear her start to move around in the backseat and glanced back.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm going to get both of us warm. I have a blanket and you have more body heat." She started climbing over the front seat and Dr. Venkman looked at her.  
  
"You're going to hurt yourself," Peter told her. "Lay back down."  
  
"I will," she answered through clenched teeth. She plopped down where Egon had been sitting earlier. "We're going to share the blanket. It's very warm."  
  
"But you could have just hurt yourself even more," Dr. Venkman said. "Who knows if your ribs are fractured or broken and if they're puncturing your lung or something else. You need to be careful." She gave him a look. "Don't give me that look. We're stuck here together until Egon comes back with help. We have to play nice."  
  
"Whatever," she muttered. The young woman turned herself around making her back face the Ghostbuster than laid her head in his lap and covered her top half and his bottom half with the blanket. "Better?"  
  
"A bit," Peter answered. He looked down at the young woman whose blue eyes were half-closed. They both knew she had to stay awake, but the cold and the pain were making it difficult. For both of them. "So, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"I don't know," Dani replied. "What's your favorite movie?"  
  
"That's kind of an easy one. Do you want the answer I give to women or my real answer?" Dani let out a little laugh.  
  
"Both," Dani told him.  
  
"When it's a woman I tell her I love any chick flick that's just come out and that when I saw it I cried my eyes out. That though usually gets me actually sitting in the movie theater with that movie and I have to cry. Not always fun, but it helps me get to second base. Now, my real favorite movie is 'Rocky' because you just can't go wrong with a classic like that."  
  
"While Ray's into the classics like Star Wars and Star Trek. I can't tell you how many times he has stuck one of those in the DVD player and I've had to sit through them. They're great movies, but after the twentieth time it gets old. I've been trying to get him to find some new favorites or at least watch something else. You should have seen his face when I stuck 'The Matrix' in. He instantly got into it and ended up explaining the movie to me. He told me to buy him 'Matrix Revolutions' than added we'd go see the third movie when we had a few minutes."  
  
"Those are far a few between," Peter replied. "At least you've never had to watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' twenty times in a row. Ray loves to watch that on Christmas Eve right into Christmas day."  
  
"Every Christmas?"  
  
"Like clockwork." Dr. Venkman noticed the look on the young woman's face. "Hey, we're going to have our Christmas just like Egon said. It's just a day that can be celebrated whenever you want. We'll even go rent the movie and let it run over and over again. It'll be fine."  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
"Let's talk about something else," Peter said. "Like what do you plan to do next year? It's just a few days away."  
  
"I don't know. I was thinking about going back to school. Maybe major in some kind of big science. I figure I better catch up with you guys. All I've got is a bachelor's in biology and I only have that because Newton forced me to. I wanted to do theatre, but he thought that was a waste of my time."  
  
"You don't have to do that. We don't expect you to get a doctorate in biochemical engineering just to impress us. You can do whatever you want. Get a theatre degree and star in some Broadway show. Not everyone needs to be an Einstein."  
  
"Sometimes I just feel stupid whenever Ray explains to me how something works. I don't understand half of what he's saying. It pisses me off."  
  
"I don't understand half of what Ray and Egon say. My degrees are in psychology and parapsychology. They each have parapsychology degrees, but they also received degrees to talk in special science and techno-babble. I get lost too than I have Winston explain it whenever he gets it. So you aren't the only one."  
  
"You're not going to let me sulk, are you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Okay. My turn to ask a question again. Have you ever been in love?" Peter made a face.  
  
"Pass. My turn. Do you believe in God? And if so, why?"  
  
"I'm not answering until you answer mine."  
  
"I did. I said pass. Now answer my question."  
  
"Pass is not an answer unless you're on some kind of game show," Dani said. "This is not a game show unfortunately. No Bob Barker or Danny Osmond here. Just you and me."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." Peter crossed his arms on his chest and stared in front of him at the snow covered windshield. That was the truth. Peter didn't want to talk about it. He had been in love and it ended badly. Not just because he fell quote/unquotes in love with every pretty woman that walked by him than dumped him later or vice versa on occasion but because the one beautiful woman that truly loved him back walked away from him and she was in Europe somewhere playing her cello.  
  
"Is it that Dana Barret lady? Did it really happen that way like it did in the movie?"  
  
"Dani, I don't want to talk about it," Dr. Venkman told her angrily. "What part of that do you not understand? Is there too much snow in your ears? I never want to hear you say her name again."  
  
"Don't get mad at me, Peter. I asked an innocent question. If I remember correctly you and the guys all told me I could ask questions whenever I wanted to. I'm sorry she's such a sensitive subject for you, but I guess I have my answer. You did love her and now you're upset she isn't part of your life anymore. I'd feel the same way."  
  
"You don't know what it's like," Peter replied.  
  
"I don't know," Dani repeated incredulously. She sat up and pulled away the blanket. She silently cursed herself for the movement. The young woman looked at the man with fire in her blue eyes. "I lost two people when I was five, Peter. Two people who I loved a lot and never had the chance to really get to know. You at least had a chance to spend some time with Dana. I don't remember half the time I spent with my parents. Don't tell me I don't know because I do."  
  
"It's not the same," Dr. Venkman argued. "I lost the woman I loved."  
  
"But she's not dead," Dani replied. "You can at least call her to say hi or something. I can't call my parents. Just like you can't call your mom, Ray can't call his parents, and Egon can't call his dad. Death is permanent, Peter. Love can hurt, but at least you still have the chance of running into her and talking about life." The two were quiet for a little while and listened to the wind coming from the outside.  
  
"Are you in love with Ray?" Egon's cousin glanced back over at the Ghostbuster.  
  
"Why are you asking that?"  
  
"Because I want to know. You two have been together a few months and it's nearly impossible to separate the both of you at times. I'm surprised you didn't ask him to come along. He didn't seem to happy about spending Christmas away from you."  
  
"I didn't ask him to come because I needed to focus."  
  
"Focus on what?"  
  
"Getting to know Aunt Katie and Uncle Cyrus," Dani answered. "With Ray around I'd probably just embarrass myself or something."  
  
"Ray knows a lot about being embarrassed and it's not like you needed to spend the entire time talking with Mrs. Spengler and Egon's uncle. Egon's mom would understand if you wanted to sneak off and spend time with Ray. Besides Uncle Cyrus is an extremely boring man. He doesn't think a lot of what Egon does and when you mention your psychic ability and how you obtained it he'd probably give you a look like you grew another head."  
  
"I guess I didn't think it through," Dani admitted. "The way Egon made it sound I thought it was also just a family thing. He didn't invite Janine so I didn't invite Ray."  
  
"Let me tell you something about Egon's mom, Dani. She considers us her family just as Egon does. Sometimes family extends beyond blood relatives, Dani. Winston, Egon, and Ray are like brothers to me. And Janine's like a sister. Janine's not here though because she promised she'd visit her family. I'm sure Egon would have jumped at the chance to invite her along. You had every right to invite Ray."  
  
"Next time I will." She laid back down and shared the cover once more. "And to answer your question it's yes."  
  
"Yes?" Dr. Venkman said. He smiled. "Does Ray know?"  
  
"He ought to. I say it enough. And whether he realizes it or not he says it right back." Peter laughed. Than he shivered. The man was still very cold despite the fact he had a nice thick quilt covering part of him and a warm body pressing against his leg. His mind than wandered off for a second as he thought of Egon and hoped the man had found help and wasn't wandering mindlessly through the snow covered terrain. 


	9. Egon's Journey

Dr. Spengler wrapped his arms around himself tightly. It was still very cold outside, but fortunately it was no longer snowing. He thought about how much time had passed since he had last looked at his watch and resisted the urge to look. Egon calculated the amount of time it should take to walk to Angonak when he first started. The average person walked a mile in about thirteen to fifteen minutes and there were five miles. He'd be there in an hour. If he didn't freeze first. The proton pack on his back was probably slowing him down, but Peter could be right. It may come in handy. Egon forced himself to continue despite everything. Peter and Dani were counting on him to find help. The scientist brushed away some of the condensation forming on his glasses. He tried to focus on something either than the cold and the headache from the bump on his head.  
  
The Ghostbuster smiled to himself as he thought about Janine. She was a very beautiful woman when he really focused on it, but he always knew there was more to her than that. Janine Melnitz was smart in her accord and often stumped the physicist with trivia more obscure than some of the old books he often read. Egon was happy that after all these years he finally decided to pursue a relationship with the woman. And despite how annoyed he often got with his cousin dating Ray he was happy for them as well. Ray needed someone like Dani to share in some of his enthusiasm about life and what new adventures each day brought though they were much like the day before. She never seemed to tire of it. The two complemented each other much like Egon and Janine did. Winston and Tammy seemed to be the same way even after dating for two years. Peter was the only who couldn't find someone. Well, he hadn't found someone for a few weeks. Egon's thoughts were interrupted by a loud honking noise.  
  
Egon stopped and turned around to see an old-looking pickup truck coming down the road. It honked again than came to a stop a few feet in front of Dr. Spengler. The passenger door opened and the blonde man walked toward the door. A young man wearing a fleece jacket sat at the driver's seat.  
  
"What are you doing walking out here?" The young man asked. "And what's that thing on your back?"  
  
"My friends and I had an accident a few miles back," Egon answered. "I was trying to make it to Angonak to get help." He adjusted the pack on his back. "And I'm wearing a proton pack. I'm a Ghostbuster."  
  
"A Ghostbuster? I've heard of you guys," the young man replied. Egon wasn't surprised. Most of the world knew of them since their job often taken them to other parts of America where they often ended up on the news or in another country where trouble often followed. Like ending up in jail for violating some custom. Leave it to Peter to single-handedly make a mess of things. "I'll take you to town. I was heading there myself. Hop in." Egon gratefully climbed into the warm vehicle. The young man started his truck back up and they were heading down the road. "Mind if I asked what happened? Oh, I'm Kip Johnson."  
  
"Dr. Egon Spengler," Egon said. "The answer to your question though is rather long and intricate. To surmise, however, I believe a ghost we caught in another town caused us to have an accident injuring my companions as well as myself."  
  
"Are they alright?" Kip asked. Egon could tell the young man was more interested in the part about the ghost rather than the injured people, but wanted to be nice.  
  
"I believe they are," Dr. Spengler answered. "I just need to call for some help. Paramedics and someone to pull out the car."  
  
"Well, you aren't going to find those in Angonak," Kip told him. "They'll have to come from Cleveland and it'll probably be an hour or two because not all the roads are clear between here and there. And that's only if it doesn't start snowing again."  
  
"I don't believe it's supposed to snow again," Egon responded. "However, I've been know to be incorrect. On rare occasions that is." The rest of the short car ride went in silence as Kip turned on to a street that seemed to go on forever until snow covered buildings started to pop up. He drove past them all than went down another street and Dr. Spengler watched as the buildings disappeared and once again all he saw was white. They came upon a lone house a few minutes from the small town. Kip pulled up the driveway and stopped the pickup truck about five feet from the front door.  
  
"This is home, Dr. Spengler," Kip said. He jumped out of the truck and ran into the house. Egon followed slowly. The scientist walked in and was greeted by the smell of delicious food and a warm atmosphere. He closed the front door and looked around. The front room was decorated with what looked like many hand-crafted objects and on the walls were pictures of people ranging from babies to grandparents. "Dr. Spengler, meet my mother. Edna Johnson." Egon turned around to find a small, pleasantly plump woman wearing an apron.  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Johnson," Dr. Spengler greeted. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your holiday, but my friends and I had an accident."  
  
"Yes, Kip told me all about that. You may not get help for some time, but you are free to use the phone. It's right in the kitchen." She pointed to a doorway to the left.  
  
"Thank you." Egon walked past the two and into the kitchen. His nose was greeted by even stronger smells of the food. He saw pies lying on the counter and could make out the form of a turkey in the oven through the door. Egon wished he was at his mother's partaking in the Christmas dinner, but that wasn't on today's agenda. He had to focus on why he was in the Johnson's home. The scientist found the phone on the wall next to the table. He took of his proton pack and sat down in the chair closest to the phone. Egon dialed his mother's number.  
  
"Hello?" A tired voice said.  
  
"Mother, its Egon."  
  
"Egon, dear, are you alright?" She quickly asked. "I was so worried. What happened? Are you injured? Is Dani hurt? What about Peter? Where are you?"  
  
"Mother, I'm quite alright aside from a small bump on the head," Egon informed her. "We had an accident and --"  
  
"An accident?" His mother repeated. "How did it happen?"  
  
"Mother, I will explain that to you later. I just wanted to assure you we were alright," Dr. Spengler said. "I'm sorry we did not call."  
  
"It's alright. I was just worried." She paused a moment. "I may have worried your friends, Egon. I called them this morning when you did not show up."  
  
"I should call them."  
  
"Are you sure everything's alright, Egon?"  
  
"Yes, mother. I will call you again shortly."  
  
"Very well, dear." Dr. Spengler heard the click from the other end and felt a bit bad he had been a bit short with his mother, but he needed to assure his friends that he, Peter, and Dani were not dead. Egon hoped that it was true for Peter and Dani. It had only been an hour, but the longer they stayed in the cold weather the shorter their time would become. Egon quickly dialed the number to Janine's cell phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Janine, its Egon."  
  
"Egon!?! Oh, are you alright? Are you in the hospital? What happened? When your mother called this morning I got worried. Where are you?" She continued to ask questions that Egon couldn't answer because she wouldn't stop for breath. "Well, aren't you going to answer me? You've had me so worried that I haven't been able to enjoy anything."  
  
"Janine, we were in an accident. I had to leave Peter and Dani behind to get help. I'm not sure that it will come for some time. Kip didn't exactly make it sound hopeful."  
  
"Who's Kip? And why did you leave Peter and Dani? I know they can both get annoying at times, but to leave them behind is heartless, Egon. Dani's your cousin and Peter's one of your best friends."  
  
"I had no choice. Peter's leg is stuck and possibly broken. Dani may have fractured or broken a rib. And Kip is the young gentleman who brought me to his house so I may use his phone. I had to let my mother, you, Winston and Ray know we were alright as well as call for help."  
  
"I'll call them, Egon. You get help for Peter and Dani. We'll try to get out there as soon as possible. Wait, where are you?"  
  
"In Angonak."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"A small town about 35 miles away from Cleveland. I can't recall ever passing it on my way home. Perhaps I never noticed."  
  
"You notice everything, Egon. Maybe it just sprung up. Don't worry. I will call the guys and tell them everything. We will come out there."  
  
"Thank you, Janine. I'm sorry for causing you any anguish."  
  
"You caused a little, but you can make up for that," Janine informed him. "When we get back to New York we're going to spend a little alone time together. Just you, me, and a box of Twinkies." Egon could feel a blush start to rise and it wasn't just from the heat the stove was producing.  
  
"Sounds very nice," Dr. Spengler stated trying to keep his cool. "I will talk to you later."  
  
"Bye, Egon. I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Janine." Egon heard the click once more and stared at the phone for a moment. What could you possibly do with a box of Twinkies besides eat them? The scientist pondered the thought a moment before realizing what he really needed to do. He dialed one more short, but important number.  
  
"9-1-1 Emergency. How may we help you?"  
  
"Yes, my friends and I were involved in an accident," Dr. Spengler started. 


	10. Waiting For Help

Ecto-1 was quiet once again except for the wind blowing through some of the back windows and the heavy breathing coming from Dani. Peter couldn't tell if the cause of her odd breathing was the cold or if a rib had punctured a lung. The two of them had stopped talking after running out of topics. They had discussed everything from their favorite socks to the philosophy of 'Seinfeld'. Once Dani mentioned she was hungry and Peter said if help never came she could eat him the young woman yelled at him about Egon coming back than stopped talking. The Ghostbuster had meant it as a joke, but she was obviously distraught over their predicament and no amount of Dr. Peter Venkman humor was going to cheer her up. She had been successful in finally being able to sulk.  
  
"If your face stays that way long enough it'll freeze," Peter told her.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"I've never really been able to," Dr. Venkman responded. "Seems to get me in trouble."  
  
"Right now, Dr. Venkman, I don't care. What I do care about is getting out of this freezing cold car and away from you. I want to spend a really long time in front of nice, roaring fire with Ray's arms wrapped around me. You though are ruining the wonderful picture I have in my head."  
  
"Dr. Venkman? Since when do you call me Dr. Venkman?"  
  
"Since you've become a jerk."  
  
"I'm only doing what I know best and what I know best is talking. Probably the reason I became a psychologist. I talk enough and people get annoyed enough to talk about themselves and the reason they're there. And as disappointing as it may be it's not because of my good looks or my charming smile. I also have to add it's worked quite well. I've helped quite a few ghosts go on peacefully this way."  
  
"Than maybe you'll let me peacefully sleep for a few minutes."  
  
"No sleeping," he told her. "If you sleep than I might lose you and that would be bad. I'd have a few angry friends on my back."  
  
"I'm tired, my head hurts and it's really cold. I'm also quite hungry and I'd never eat you if you were the last edible thing on this planet!" She winced as she shouted and vibrated her chest. "To make matters even better it hurts to breath."  
  
"Take slow breaths," Peter told her. "I think you may have punctured a lung and air could be escaping into your chest."  
  
"Since when did you become Doogie Howser?"  
  
"I took a few med classes in college. I remember a few things. Very few things."  
  
"Beautiful girl?"  
  
"The teacher was a bombshell. If I remember correctly she was a Playboy Bunny before deciding to become a nurse. We went out a few times than she dumped me for some millionaire and I dropped the class."  
  
"Did you also happen to take a few cooking classes? Because I always wondered why your chocolate chip cookies taste so good."  
  
"Actually that's a Venkman secret."  
  
"Want to share it?"  
  
"Not until you take back the jerk thing. That really hurt my feelings."  
  
"Alright, I take back the jerk thing. Peter Venkman, you are a wonderful man. Now tell me the secret." Peter grinned than bent down and whispered into her ear. He sat back up and Dani gave him a shocked look. "No."  
  
"Yes," Peter replied.  
  
"But if you put that in there someone's bound to notice."  
  
"Not if you just put a small amount that's enough to add flavor, but not enough to cause any harm. Of course if you eat too cookies than you might show some signs."  
  
"You are so bad."  
  
"Thank you. However, you can never tell anyone else otherwise they'll just go straight for the secret ingredient."  
  
"Not Ray. He doesn't do that on a regular basis."  
  
"Yeah, he's a regular goody-two shoes."  
  
"You better be joking because that's my boyfriend you're talking about. He's not a goody-two shoes. Ray's just Ray and that's how I like him."  
  
"You wouldn't jump at a chance to do something different?"  
  
"What do you mean different?"  
  
"I mean something crazy. Outrageous. Throwing caution to the wind. Like Ray does when he's chasing after a ghost only it wouldn't include a nuclear accelerator and slime."  
  
"Stuff you would do with a date?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"That could be fun," Dani commented. "I just don't see Ray doing something like that. I'd probably have to twist his arm or something."  
  
"We should something like that," Peter replied. "You and I will go out some night and go clubbing. That's always fun. Especially with some of the places I go to."  
  
"Are you asking me out on a date?"  
  
"It wouldn't be a date. Just two friends going out and having a good time. People do that all the time."  
  
"We'll do that than," Dani responded. "It'll have to be next year some time. I still need to get through the rest of this year than spend the first day of next year catching up on all the sleep I missed this year."  
  
"Sounds good," Peter said. "Maybe the guys will let me do that too."  
  
"After this we'll both get some special treatment," Dani said.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Dr. Venkman agreed. "That's always fun until the guys get tired and Janine threatens to kill me than bring me back as a ghost only to stuff my ectoplasm into a trap than toss it into the containment unit." Dani made a face. "I know. Not a pretty picture." The car grew quiet again and Dr. Venkman hated the silence. Silence always meant something bad might happen. Especially when he and the guys were on a bust. Too many times had they fallen for the silent bit and one of them had gotten hurt.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Egon's okay, right?"  
  
"I'm sure he's fine. He's probably just trying to remember where we parked the car. It's not exactly easy to find. We didn't find a good spot." Dani giggled. At least they weren't completely miserable sitting in the partially destroyed and freezing car. Peter hadn't mentioned to the young woman though that he could barely feel his left leg anymore. The lack of blood circulating was causing it to become numb and it didn't help the metal from the door felt like ice. He didn't want her to worry anymore than she already was. The psychologist hoped that Dr. Spengler was alright and that the physicist hadn't wondered off the road and into some frozen lake. 


	11. Help Arrives

Dr. Spengler sat patiently in the Johnson home as paramedics checked him out in the Johnson home. He had repeated at least ten times about Peter and Dani and they told him the highway patrol was out looking for them. Egon winced slightly as they cleaned his head wound than applied a rather large bandage on it for the small wound. The scientist was already quite annoyed with the paramedics and highway patrol for they had taken over an hour to come to Angonak from Cleveland and it had started snowing again. Kip had been right.  
  
"Dr. Spengler, are you having any trouble with your vision?" Egon gave a look to the young woman with brown hair.  
  
"No," Egon answered with a slightly angered tone. "My glasses seem to help that."  
  
"Well, there's still a chance you may have a concussion," the young woman replied unfazed by his annoyance. "We'll still have to take you to the hospital and take a few x-rays."  
  
"I do not wish to leave until my friends are found."  
  
"I understand, Dr. Spengler. The highway patrol is out there looking for them right now. Give them some time. From your description the car is buried under quite a bit of snow. And since it has started snowing again that will only make their job a slightly bit more difficult, but I'm highly confident they will find them."  
  
"I'm sure," Egon muttered.  
  
"You know I don't think I really understand how you and your friends got into this accident. How could a ghost cause an accident?"  
  
"In my line of work it happens quite often," Dr. Spengler responded. "In this case the ghost managed to blow out one of our rear tires causing us to skid and therefore also causing the accident."  
  
"I see." Egon could tell the young woman didn't believe a word he said. Many people didn't seem to understand that ghosts did more than scare people by making faces and annoying noises. Quite a few actually created mayhem and caused injury to unsuspecting pray. The Ghostbusters faced these entities often and were lucky to only escape with minor injuries. There were a handful of doctors in New York who actually stopped asking questions on how the guys seemed to receive their odd injuries. Especially after the time a Terror Dog ran through an ER after them. Of course, there were still a few skeptics left on the police force and in New York that didn't think what the Ghostbusters did could actually be called work or even reality. A lot of it did seem to come from horror novels or child's nightmares, but the people who did believe outweighed the skeptics and held the guys in high esteem. Definitely more than this paramedic was at the moment.  
  
"I suppose you don't really believe me," Egon said. "It's not easy to when confronted by entities that usually only live in means of entertainment. What you may not know however is that many of those ghosts, demons, and other various creatures are based on legend, which is in turn based on fact. The only problem with the human race is that most people are so ignorant is that don't believe that something is real and therefore think it won't hurt them. I've met people like that and they usually end up on the receiving end of power beyond their control." The young woman stared at him like the scientist had grown another head.  
  
"I think I hear my partner calling me," she told him. "Excuse me." She got off the couch the two had been sitting on and walked through the doorway to kitchen. Egon could have cared less if she had stayed and listened. All he cared about at the moment was Dani and Peter. They had been out in the cold for almost another two hours and Dr. Spengler was sure if Peter's leg wasn't moved soon than there was no telling what kind of problems could come from it.  
  
******  
  
"Ray," Dani whispered. She could swear he was in the car with her. The young woman could smell him. He always had this sweet smell to him and she couldn't tell if it was because he ate so many sweets or if it was his cologne or just him. She didn't care. She just wanted him to hold her and keep her safe and warm. "Ray, where are you?"  
  
"Dani," a voice whispered. It seemed distant and worried. "Dani, wake up."  
  
"I don't want to," Dani replied. "I'm so cold."  
  
"Wake up," the voice repeated harshly. "I'm losing you."  
  
"I'm not lost," she responded. "I haven't been in a while."  
  
"Dani, wake up." She felt someone poke her in the ribs and she let out a yell than opened her eyes and looked up at the man looming over her. "Don't do that."  
  
"That hurt, Peter."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't get you to wake up. I'm just as cold as you are and like I said earlier falling asleep won't help."  
  
"I can't help it. It's the cold." She started to close her eyes again, but this time Dr. Venkman tugged at her hair. "Hey, stop it."  
  
"Than stay awake."  
  
"Ray wouldn't do that to me."  
  
"Well, I'm so sorry I'm not Ray. You're stuck with me though until Egon comes back with help."  
  
"Yeah," she muttered. "Remind me to short sheet your bed when we get home."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"For being annoying."  
  
"You started it."  
  
"Shut up, Peter." Dani shivered violently and Dr. Venkman wished he could do more to keep her warm. However, he was nearly frozen himself and very stiff. Peter put his head back and looked at the ceiling of the car. It would probably be a very long time before Ray and Winston could get Ecto running again after this. Peter sighed.  
  
"Egon, where are you?" Peter thought to himself.  
  
*****  
  
Egon was still sitting in the Johnson living room. The paramedics were casting odd glances at Dr. Spengler whenever they entered the room to talk to some of the highway patrol who had set-up base in the house. Egon had noticed that Kip and his mother decided to stay in one of the other room's in the house and only came out to ask if anyone wanted anything to eat or drink.  
  
"We found them." Dr. Spengler looked up at the heavy-set man standing in front of him. "The paramedics are taking them to Cleveland in a chopper. I suppose you want to ride with them."  
  
"Yes," Egon simply said as he stood. The scientist was ecstatic Peter and Dani now had help, but was afraid of what they're conditions were. "How are they?"  
  
"Not sure," the man answered. "They mentioned something about taking out part of a door, but I didn't understand it. Your friends will be here in a few minutes and than placed on a chopper. Get ready to go." The man walked away and Egon quickly zipped up his jacket than grabbed his proton pack. The scientist would have to remember to call everyone when he got to the hospital. There was no telling what Janine had told Winston and Ray if she had called them. Though in all likelihood she had and there was a large possibility they could be headed straight for Cleveland.  
  
"Next time we're going to stay at home," Egon said to himself. He walked out of the Johnson home and into the blistering cold of the outside just as an ambulance pulled up in front of the house. The scientist could hear the rotating blades of helicopter from above him and watched as it landed in an open space next to the house. Without realizing what was happening he was ushered toward the helicopter as Dani and Peter were brought on stretchers. The helicopter took off and they were left the snow-covered terrain for the warmth of the city. 


	12. Merry Christmas

Peter slowly woke as the warmth of the hospital room finally reached him. He relished in the warmth and promised himself he would never take the summer heat for granted again. At least that beat freezing to death. The Ghostbuster finally opened his eyes and saw the hospital room as well as his leg in a cast being held in a sling. The room looked like Santa's workshop had exploded. There was a tree, tinsel, mistletoe and everything else related to Christmas. The last thing Dr. Venkman noticed was the other occupied bed in the bright room. Dani was sleeping in the other bed looking like a blonde Snow White waiting for Prince Charming to wake her from the slumber.  
  
"Do you think they're awake?" Dr. Venkman turned his head to see the door to the room open a bit. He couldn't see who was on the other side, but he could hear them. Peter recognized the voice. It was Ray's.  
  
"It won't hurt to wait," another voice replied. "I'm sure they'd like to see us." That was Winston and he was right. Peter would like to see his friends especially after the near death experience he and Dani had.  
  
"Just go in," a third voice said. Peter chuckled to himself. Janine hated to be kept waiting any longer than she had to. The door opened and the people standing outside the door walked in. Janine was holding on to Egon as if to keep him from getting into another accident. Ray wore a worried look as Winston looked as calm as ever.  
  
"Hi, guys," Peter greeted.  
  
"Peter, how do you feel?" Dr. Spengler inquired.  
  
"Well, warmer," Dr. Venkman answered. "What's the verdict on my leg?"  
  
"You almost lost it, man," Winston responded. "It nearly melded with the door because of the ice. All you have are a few nasty scars and a fracture."  
  
"I guess it could have been worse," Peter replied.  
  
"Worse?" Ray repeated. "You and Dani could have died. Any longer in the cold and they'd be treating you for hypothermia and frostbite."  
  
"Tex, I'm fine," Dr. Venkman said. "Dani's fine. Egon got us help. Everything is right with the world."  
  
"If everything is right than why are you all waking me up?" Peter and the others looked at the other bed where Dani lay awake. "I already had to try and sleep through Peter's snoring. How can you guys stand it?"  
  
"Wear earplugs," Winston answered with a grin.  
  
"Hey!" Ray rushed over to his girlfriend.  
  
"Are you okay?" Dr. Stantz asked. "I was so scared when Janine called and told me about the accident. I should have gone with you." Dani put a finger on his lips and the young man stopped talking.  
  
"Ray, I'm fine. At least I think so. I don't know what's up with my ribs. Next year though we are going to spend Christmas together whether it be at the firehouse, at a relative's house or even in the hospital. Now all I want for you to do is to kiss me and bring me a hot chocolate. Is this possible?" Ray nodded. "Good." She removed her finger and the Ghostbuster moved into a better position to kiss the young woman.  
  
"I should have asked for that too," Janine said as she watched them. The red-head felt herself being turned around than a pair of lips pressed on to hers.  
  
"Whoa," Winston commented watching the scene that lay before him. He looked over at Peter who looked rather fascinated with what was happening.  
  
"I'm almost forgot something," Ray said as he pulled away from Dani.  
  
"Oh, yes," Egon added doing the same with Janine. "Today is Christmas."  
  
"And Santa left a few presents," Dr. Stantz continued.  
  
"That explains the room," Peter commented. "It looked like something you might do, Ray."  
  
"But I don't have my presents for you guys," the young woman said. "And I got great gifts for you guys."  
  
"We have them," Ray told her. "It took a little bit of doing and a lot of chocolate, but we managed."  
  
"You got Slimer to help out?" Dr. Venkman said.  
  
"That was the hard part," Zeddemore told him. "But we have presents, cookies, and 'It's a Wonderful Life'."  
  
"And music." Dr. Stantz pulled out a small boom box from the closet. He pressed play.  
  
"Chestnuts roasting over an open fire," Nat King Cole sang. "Jack Frost nipping at your nose."  
  
The music continued as presents were handed out, cookies were eaten, and the gang enjoyed their Christmas. The psychologist glanced over at Janine who was giving Egon a big hug for some reason or another. He thought it could possibly to with the shiny bracelet now on her wrist. Peter looked over at Dani who had her head on Ray's shoulder and was laughing at whatever Winston was talking about. He and Egon had promised her a Christmas and even though this wasn't a perfect one it had everything a Christmas required. Friends and family having a good time.  
  
"Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you."  
  
(So, have a Merry Christmas. A Happy Kwanza. A great Chanukah. Or whatever you celebrate. Hope your holidays are great.) 


End file.
